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Senator Dan Patrick and Walgreens Donates 150 Backpacks to YES Prep Gulfton 6th graders!

October 13, 2010 by Jeremy Jones

Real World Experience with Elected Officials and Community Outreach Organizations

YES Prep Gulfton 6^thgraders were chosen to receive 150 fantastic backpacks from Senator Dan Patrick’s office in partnership with Walgreens. Both the Senator and representative from Walgreens met with 6^thand 9^thgraders in our school gym/auditorium last Wednesday.

Senator Dan Patrick’s Director of Constituent Services, Amy L. Peck, M.Ed wrote this when asked, “Why was YES Prep Gulfton chosen to receive 150 backpacks from Senator Dan Patrick and Walgreens?” Her response was as follows, “YES Prep Gulfton was chosen because of their incredible accountability ratings despite their challenges. YES Prep Gulfton has an economically disadvantaged population in the high 90's. However, they continually achieve high marks from the State of Texas for academic achievement. Senator Patrick is a strong supporter of charter schools like YES Prep Gulfton and will fight during this upcoming session to make Texas more open but an accountable environment for the charter school community.”

Senator Dan Patrick was welcomed to the campus by three of our ninth grade students. When he arrived in the gym, he was greeted by nearly 200 6^thand 9^thgrade students. He spoke of his childhood background through college and how he became a Senator. He asked our students how many of them would be the first in their family to graduate from college and almost all of the hands shot up into the air. He then shared that he too was the first in his family to receive a college degree. It was definitely an emotional moment—and also a moment of pride to know that YES Prep will play a critical role in helping students achieve their dreams of college success.

After Senator Dan Patrick spoke he gave the students a chance to ask questions and then the real fun started! The students’ questions ranged from asking about his favorite author to his stand on immigration and from how his views on charter school facility funding to his thoughts on the political philosophy of John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. I was proud to be a charter school mom and held my head up high because I know some of these same children will one day fill his shoes and know what it feels like to sit and listen to an elected official speak! The knowledge they are acquiring at YES Prep will provide each and every one of our students the ability to have choices and that is something no one will ever be able to take away from them.

Senator Dan Patrick and his team along with the Walgreens’ Representatives were very impressed. The community representatives spoke to our children about community involvement and what giving back to the neighborhood means to them and to Walgreens. Community involvement is a central part of the YES Prep mission and it was exciting to hear them make a connection to our core values.

The Walgreens’ reps were so impressed that they asked us to help them with other service events at other YES Prep schools. A huge thank you to Senator Dan Patrick, his staff, and Walgreens! It was a fantastic day and one we will not soon forget.

About Dan Patrick

Dan Patrick is considered by many as the most conservative member of the Texas Senate. In just his first term, he has become a leading conservative voice in Texas and in the Texas legislature. In a recent Austin political news magazine ranking the most influential Republicans in Texas, Senator Patrick was listed at #3, just two spots behind Governor Rick Perry and the only member of the Texas Senate to be named in the top 20.

Senator Patrick has accomplished more in his first term than some legislators accomplish in a career. He passed legislation placing "In God We Trust" permanently in the Texas Senate Chamber and passed the Senate bill to place "Under God" in the state pledge. Senator Patrick passed the largest tax cut of any legislator in the country in 2009 - a $172 million cut to business taxes for small business. Dan also passed another two dozen important pieces of legislation including a bill requiring all Harris County water districts to have generators for backup power in the event of an emergency.

Because of his strong work ethic and dedication to study the issues, Lt. Gov. Dewhurst has given Senator Patrick one of the most challenging combination of committee assignments. He serves on the critically important Finance Committee; is vice chairman of Education; serves on Criminal Justice, Health and Human Services, Intergovernmental Relations, and on Redistricting, another key committee for the 82nd Session.

Dan has been married to Jan for 35 years. Their son, Ryan, is a Harris County assistant district attorney, their daughter, Shane, will become a registered nurse in a few months. This year, Dan welcomed his first grandchild, Zachary Colton. Dan hosts a daily talk show on AM700 in Houston, has written a best seller, produced an award winning movie, plays the piano and guitar, and paints watercolors in his spare time--which isn't much these days.